Record Warmth, Spring Fever in the Plains, South and East (FORECAST)

Linda Lam
Published: February 21,2016



 
Spring has sprung, or at least it feels that way, as unseasonably warm air brings April and May-like temperatures to much of the country. This case of spring fever will continue through Sunday across portions of the Plains, South and East.
By mid-February, we understand your itchiness for spring. You see 70s on the map nearly every day somewhere else, before shuffling outside to shovel your driveway. Your retired neighbor is gone for weeks at a time. You hear the phrase, "pitchers and catchers report."
Last weekend, parts of the Northeast shivered through one of their coldest mornings in decades. Then Winter Storm Olympia dumped over a foot of snow in parts of the interior Northeast.
(RECAPS: Record Cold in the Northeast | Winter Storm Olympia)
Instead of taking a cold, southward plunge deep into the East, the jet stream has flattened out this weekend, allowing some of the West's warmth to spread east.

Setup Into Sunday

Warmth Not Done Across South, East

The heat has peaked, but above average temperatures will continue across much of the region to close out the weekend.
This stretch of above-freezing temperatures has allowed some significant melting of the existing Midwest and Northeast snowpack.
With time, the warmth will begin to sink back southward, ahead of a developing storm system across the southern Plains early in the coming week.
(MORE: Eastern Storm Ahead)
Here is what to expect coming up.

• Monday: The warmth eases south, with much of the Plains, Mississippi Valley, Ohio Valley and East returning to near average temperatures. Warmth will continue over parts of Texas, the Gulf Coast and Florida, where highs in the 70s and 80s will persist.

(FORECASTS: Boston | Washington, DC | Atlanta)

Forecast Highs Compares to Average

Several grass fires and wildfires were reported from the High Plains to the Missouri Valley on Thursday.
(MORE: Outbreak of Wildfires Across Central States)
Although the fire threat as been easing, the threat for a few isolated fires cannot be ruled out through the end of the weekend.
Below is a closer look at some notable records from the recent heat.

Thursday's Record-Shattering Heat

The Thursday morning forecast discussion from the National Weather Service in Dodge City, Kansas, put Thursday's heat in context best:

"Heat in February?! Yes. The atmosphere recognizes no calendar. Break out the shorts and flip flops and turn on that AC because it is going to be very hot today. Records will likely be annihilated."

Dozens of daily record highs were shattered in the Plains on Thursday, with some all-time February records broken, as well. Lamar, Colorado experienced their warmest meteorological winter (Dec. to Feb.) temperature on record after reaching 86 degrees Thursday, according to wunderground.com blogger Bob Henson.
Temperatures Thursday afternoon reached 90 degrees as far north as central Kansas, with widespread highs 25 to 35 or more degrees above average over the central Plains.

Observed temperatures, relative humidity and wind speeds at 5 p.m. CST / 4 p.m. MST Thursday.

All-time February record highs were set on Thursday in six states including Roswell, New Mexico (91 degrees); Gage, Oklahoma (90 degrees, tied); Garden City, Kansas (89 degrees); Dodge City, Kansas (88 degrees); Lamar, Colorado (87 degrees); Dalhart, Texas (85 degrees, tied); Goodland, Kansas (82 degrees); Pueblo, Colorado (81 degrees, tied); Valentine, Nebraska (78 degrees, tied); Sidney, Nebraska (76 degrees, tied).
Other daily record highs were broken or tied across the region, such as Lubbock (87 degrees); Amarillo (86 degrees); El Paso (85 degrees); Concordia (79 degrees); Topeka (78 degrees); Wichita (77 degrees); Springfield, Missouri (74 degrees, tied); Denver (73 degrees).
Goodland, Kansas, along Interstate 70 in far northwest Kansas, reached the 80-degree mark Thursday for only the fifth February day on record, there, dating to 1895.
Roswell, New Mexico joined the 90-degree club for the earliest date on record Thursday, easily eclipsing the previous earliest 90-degree day of March 2, 1967.

Friday's Record Warmth

Daily record highs were set at Lubbock (85 degrees); El Paso (81 degrees, tied); Tulsa (78 degrees); St. Louis (77 degrees); Springfield, Missouri (72 degrees); Flint (61 degrees); Bismarck (60 degrees); Lansing, Michigan (60 degrees, tied).
Record warm low temperatures were set at Austin, Texas (64 degrees, tied); Lincoln, Nebraska (46 degrees); Russell, Kansas (45 degrees); Hastings, Nebraska (41 degrees).

Saturday Stays Warm

Additional records highs were set at Lubbock (84 degrees); Columbia, Missouri (76 degrees); Kansas City (73 degrees); Zanesville, Ohio (70 degrees); Dayton, Ohio (69 degrees).
MORE: February Destinations (PHOTOS)